Morro Bay and Avila Beach

• While we were staying in Paso Robles, CA, we decided to take a day trip to some of the coastal towns nearby. The first stop we made was in Morro Bay, a location that was recommended to us by a girl we met at one of the wineries. She told us about an aquarium that we had to see. When we arrived we found that it was a tiny, old building in a beautiful location. We were pleased to find out that tickets are just $2!! When you enter the first room there are three sea lions that you can feed and play with while they are in their cages. They will jump out of the water, climb up ramps, and make A LOT of noise. You can buy a bag of food for just 50 cents and the seals will do tricks for you! View their website. Overall this was one of our favorite things that we did all week. After leaving the aquarium, we walked down to a ledge overlooking the incredible bay. We watched kids learning how to sail in little sailboats and wealthy men relaxing on their yachts. We definitely recommend visiting Morro Bay for a day trip!

•  Our second stop was Avila Beach, which was about an hour drive from Paso Robles. This is a very small town with a great family-friendly beach. It was too chilly to swim, so we spent our time walking past the shops and up the hills around town. Avila was full of children running around, making sand castles, playing on the swing sets, and eating ice cream. Even on a cold day Avila Beach was a great place to enjoy the beautiful California coast. The stores and restaurants facing the beach are cute and fun! If you're taking the kids along, this is a must-see beach!!